Page 73

“I don’t want to put the firm in an awkward position,” Teal told them.

“So, I also want to offer my resignation. It’s something I would have done anyway, with or without the change in my family situation, because I want to focus on less intense cases and have a better balance between work and family.

I feel like I’ve made a real difference in the time I’ve been here, and I want to thank you both profusely for the opportunity.

I hope you’ll consider hiring more bright-minded omegas in the future, but it’s time for me to focus on my home life. ”

They had accepted his decision with a mixture of relief and disappointment.

“I won’t lie and say this doesn’t make it easier on us,” Mr. Carson said.

“And I can’t claim to understand your new situation .

It doesn’t sit right with me, a group of men living together.

But I am also open to learning. And maybe that’s the best thing about getting to know you, Teal, and having you be part of this team.

You’ve opened a lot of people’s minds, changed minds, including mine.

About many things. This new polywatchamacallit thing being public would have made future cases difficult, maybe hurt our credibility with the more conservative alphas, but so you know, we wouldn’t have let you go for it. ”

That surprised Teal. He’d been so sure when he and Ronan began playing with Niall that even the whiff of impropriety would get him fired. And maybe years ago that would have been true. But perhaps Mr. Carson was right. Maybe society was changing.

“I appreciate that, Mr. Carson,” Teal said. “Because I don’t plan to hide it. And I’m happy to stay on for a few more months and tie up all my loose ends.”

They’d shaken hands and Teal had walked out of the office feeling lighter.

He was ready to dig in deep with some smaller cases, once he figured out a place to land.

It would be nice to come to work and not feel like the odd one out, or a prop, or get gawked at like a museum piece.

As much as he was a public figure, he’d never liked the sensation that he belonged to the public.

He’d done his time in the spotlight. It was time to step back so others could shine.

That’s why when he’d told Schulman and Carson that they weren’t hiding their situation, he’d also reiterated that his family didn’t plan to broadcast their relationship either. The five men had decided to simply go on living as they were, and if people caught on, then great. If not, also great.

Interest in Teal had remained intense since he’d almost died.

There were breathless announcements about Percy’s arrest and other members of the pro-alpha groups being caught for their hateful texts and emails.

The incident with the brick thrown at the McGinns’ window came to light, along with news of Dayson’s attack, keeping the spotlight on both omegas.

Ronan’s courthouse speech garnered hundreds of thousands of online views, and there was general excitement around all the new omega-owned heat services that would open soon.

With so much focus on Teal, Ronan, and their family, it didn’t take long for folks to question the other three men who seemed to be always at their sides.

Who was the long-haired, tattooed beta taking the McGinn children to the park?

Why was Teal holding hands with his children’s nanny?

Who was the pregnant young omega Ronan accompanied to the doctor’s office?

Why were Teal and that same omega grocery shopping together?

Why were Ronan and the long-haired, tattooed beta always at the gym at the same time?

The questions went on and on until finally, someone filming his own children at the playground caught Kino and Zayne referring to the betas as “Daddy Niall” and “Daddy Jax,” and uploaded the video for all to see.

At that point, Teal threw up his hands and asked Schulman, Carson & Associates to issue a press release:

Press Release from: Teal McGinn

Re: Speculation on Teal and Ronan McGinn’s marriage and family situation

On behalf of my family, I would like to first state that I am frustrated that this statement needs to be issued at all.

Although we are certainly highly visible members of our state’s society, we believe we are entitled to some measure of privacy when it comes to our personal lives.

However, because of recent events, and the intense speculation online that we are concerned may eventually harm our children, we would like to set the record straight.

Ten years ago, Ronan and I fell in love and a few years later began our family.

During this time, I also finished my schooling and began a law career, which led to me becoming a public figure.

Because of my role as a champion of omega rights, I felt it was important to not distract from the important messages by putting my private life on display.

Therefore, as far as the public knew, Ronan and I were a monogamous couple living a very traditional family life.

In actuality, Ronan and I have never done that.

We’ve always been open to more love and other possibilities.

I won’t go into the details of how our situation evolved—surely, we are entitled to some privacy—but I will say that the end result is that Ronan and I are in a relationship with three other men, two betas and an omega.

We live together, raise our children together, and plan to be together for the rest of our lives.

Just as all people evolve, so has our relationship, and Ronan and I believe we have reached the epitome of what we were meant to be, as a couple, and now, as a five-man polycule.

We realize this may shock some people, and perhaps I will lose the respect of some whose regard I worked hard to achieve.

I can’t be concerned with that because any alternative to living openly with my partners, all four of them, is unthinkable.

We hope this will put the speculation to rest. This is the last statement I will make publicly about our family situation. The world is not entitled to the details of what goes on in our bedroom, and we have been disheartened to read some of what has been hypothesized online. None of that matters.

What does matter is that, like all of you, we love one another and our children.

We hope that those of you willing to understand will help others do so if need be.

But if not, we will simply live our lives.

If this upsets you in any way, or if you feel the need to pass judgement on us, that’s a problem you need to work out in your own mind.

It has nothing to do with me or my family.

I also want to take a moment to thank those who, guessing our situation, have sent words of encouragement and support. It is good to know we are not alone, and perhaps a future world will understand our family even better. I hope so.

From me and my pack,

Teal McGinn

It had been five weeks since they’d issued the press release, and with no new high-profile cases in Teal’s future, interest in his family had finally ebbed. They could move forward in relative peace.

Teal wasn’t na?ve in assuming it would be easy. Several parents had already shunned them at the twins’ school. And Ronan had received more than a few unsolicited high-fives in public from alphas who thought his situation showed a prowess to be cheered.

The worst had been a tell-all article in one of the state’s gossip magazines featuring an interview with Dale and Abe, who lamented that Ronan and Teal had “seduced” their “poor, innocent nephew” and called for universal condemnation of the McGinns.

When Ronan saw it, it was all Sorcha and Teal could do to keep him from immediately getting in his car to go find them.

“It doesn’t matter,” Sorcha had said. “They’re just bitter blowhards looking for a reaction. I’m not giving them one. And you’re not either, alpha.”

Ronan had pulled Sorcha into his arms as the other three men smirked. “Is that an order, little one?”

“You bet it is.”

They’d all chuckled at Sorcha’s reply. Watching Sorcha grow into a strong, confident omega was a unique pleasure for all of them, especially as the young man had opened up more about the bleakness of his early family life and the drudgery of living with his uncles.

Teal winked at Sorcha as he pretended to steal a bite of his bagel.

“Don’t even think about it,” Sorcha warned. “You’re taking food from the mouth of our son.”

“Our other son might want a bagel too,” Teal said in a whisper.

Sorcha’s eyes went liquid.

He scooted his chair close to Teal and put a hand on the older man’s stomach. It wasn’t as round as Sorcha’s yet, but there was a slight bump. A miraculous bump.

Teal had been ecstatic to find himself pregnant, but the three months since his heat had been fraught with terrifying instances of spotting, cramping, and other general discomfort.

He’d been able to work through most of it, distracting himself with closing out his cases, but every twinge of his back or ache in his groin sent him spiraling into fear of a miscarriage.

“Feeling okay?” Sorcha asked. He checked behind himself to make sure the boys weren’t listening.

Only the five men and Teal’s doctor knew about the pregnancy.

With all the complications, and coming on the heels of Teal’s poisoning, the doctor had been understandably guarded about the odds of carrying the pregnancy to term.

“Yes. I haven’t had any scary symptoms for a few days, thank stars,” Teal replied. “I felt great at the Science Center with the boys today. And we’ve passed the three-month mark. I think we can tell them.”

“They’re going to be so excited.”

“They’re going to be overwhelmed. Not just one new brother, but two.”

“It’ll be good. Five adults in the house. Five kids.”

“Until you have your next one.” Teal winked. “Then we’re outnumbered.”